


Percieved Expiration Date

by strawberriesandtophats



Series: Disaster Management has always been their forte [6]
Category: Endeavour (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Relationship Negotiation, Smoking, Support
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 20:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8071624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberriesandtophats/pseuds/strawberriesandtophats
Summary: When Jakes is sent away to help at another station for a few weeks, Morse begins preparing for the inevitable demise of their relationship. Jakes is just pleased to get out of the city.





	

Morse sat down at his desk at the station, already sorting through the pile of paperwork in the corner in his mind when he noticed that the air around him didn‘t smell like the product Jakes used in his hair. Sure enough, Jakes‘ desk was unoccupied, but that wasn‘t all that unusual in the mornings. Jakes preferred to spend some of his time drinking coffee or tea in the staff room or talking to the other officers when there were no murders to solve and criminals to be chased down alleys. Morse stood up, opening one of the windows to let in some air. Sunshine pooled on his desk, and Morse smiled as the scent of freshly mowed grass and roses filled the air, carried by the wind.

Morse selected one of the files in the pile and began reading, eyes scanning the familiar material. A warm gust of wind from the window made the pages on his desk flutter a bit, which made him look up from the description of a little old lady who had solved dozens of cases in her time, despite never having trained as a detective as she had assisted them on the case. It was always a bit of a relief when the case had been solved, even if the paperwork wasn’t as engaging.

“So I understand that you have no issue with this, Thursday?” Bright asked, stepping into the room alongside Inspector Thursday, who shook his head. Morse didn’t even try to stop himself from eavesdropping. It was a part of the job to gather as much information as you could. He kept his eyes on the file in front of him and continued scribbling notes on a yellow legal pad.

“Jakes is a competent and experienced sergeant, and I understand that they need more help with this case,” Thursday answered, “allowing another station to borrow him for a while is just fine by me. Nothing for him to do here except finish the paperwork, and this is far more pressing than that. ”

“Capital!” Bright said, smiling at Thursday, “I will speak to Sergeant Jakes as soon as he’s available.”

“Sir,” Thursday said, inclining his head slightly towards Morse, who looked back down at the file in front of him. His ears felt warm, and he turned a page, licking his lips to try to pretend that he was concentrating. The sounds of a room half-filled with police officers suddenly seemed loud in his ears.

This was just politics, of course. It was sensible to send someone like Jakes, who was fully trained and perceptive to help out at another station for a bit to help out. It would have a positive effect on the continued beneficial relationship their station had with other police stations which meant that if they needed to call for aid, other police officers and their superiors would be reminded that they had already helped them out before and would assist them with minimal fuss and hostility. 

“We’ll ask them to return him if he’s needed here, yes?” Bright said, his voice low and careful as he turned back towards the hallway. The gazes of the other officers in the room slid away, but Morse found himself starting at Bright’s back as the small man followed Thursday out of the room. A part of him wanted to stand up and stride up to Bright and tell him that if Jakes was going somewhere, it would only make sense to allow Morse to go as well. But Morse shook his head, trying to dislodge the thought.

Jakes got along with other officers and could make small talk about football and television shows and even make funny comments. When put in a social setting in another station, Morse would go find a crossword puzzle in the newspaper and make himself some tea while ignoring everyone else unless he needed them to assist him with the task at hand.  
Besides, they had always known that their relationship would be a short-lived one. There had been no illusions about a shared life, not for the long term.

It was always going to end like this. Jakes was always going to leave the station for a job elsewhere and Morse was always going to stay right here and climb the rank ladder to the best of his ability. So, in a way, this trip was a kind of a preview of things to come. Perhaps the best solution was to put an end to their relationship now, before they got too wrapped up in each other’s lives…

After a few minutes of trying to read a report and realizing that he’d read the same sentence eight times without absorbing a single world, Morse stood up from his chair.

He’d arrived in the hallway before he’d realized that he was no longer standing behind his desk, focused on the feel of Jakes’ arm brushing against his own as they followed Thursday down a museum corridor, on the cocky grin on Jakes’ face that appeared to be his default expression on those days when the criminal gave himself or herself away in front of them. Morse narrowly averted walking straight into Chief Superintendent Bright when turning around the corner, managing to stop just in time.

“Good morning, Morse,” Bright said, stepping back and raising his chin to look Morse straight in the eye. “Deep in thought, hmm?”

“Sorry, sir,” Morse replied, eyes wide as he straightened up automatically and breathed out. “I’ve finished the most pressing paperwork already-“

“It’s all right,” Bright said in a low, careful tone. His eyes swept the hallway, clearly searching for potential observers or listeners. “I understand that you have a great deal on your mind.”

An excuse formed on Morse’s lips, but Bright shook his head and wordlessly placed a hand between his shoulder blades and opened the door to his office. It was dark and silent inside the office in comparison to the office space, and the air smelled like fresh cigarette smoke, woodsy aftershave and old memories. Morse breathed out, closing his eyes as the sound of the door closing behind him rang in his ears.

Perhaps Bright was trying to save them both from causing a scene in public. He had to know that Jakes was leaving the station for an unknown period of time and that preventing doing damage control might be necessary if he thought that Morse was acting too emotional about the change and would therefore not be as efficient. 

“We’ll get Sergeant Jakes back safe and sound in no time at all,” Bright remarked, turning around. “I’ve asked Inspector Collins to look after him for me. After all, he is a highly valued member of our team.”

“Yes, sir,” Morse managed, attempting to sound as professional as he could while gripping the back of the chair with his fingers. The wood under his fingers felt reassuringly solid.”It’s not as if he’s going to die or decide that he likes it better over there.”

But when Morse looked at his superior, Bright’s eyes were full of concern and his mouth pressed in a thin line. 

“We’ll try our best to keep things running smoothly until he returns, hmm?” Bright said, blinking as if he had momentarily been distracted by some far off memory. “I believe I saw him outside the station a few minutes ago. If you want to speak to him before he starts his journey, I would advise running if you want to get there in time.”

“Yes, sir,” Morse said, his legs already moving towards the door and his mind racing when he realized what Bright had said. He opened the door, and then turned around to see Bright standing alone in the middle of the dimly lit office. “Thank you, sir.”

Morse lingered for long enough to see Bright’s brisk nod of dismissal. Then Morse ran as fast as his legs could carry him though the winding corridors until he reached the entrance door. He pushed the door open, breathing in the fresh air and the aroma of violets and grass. For a brief, heart-stopping moment Morse could see nothing but cars parked in the driveway and the blue sky. And then he heard Jakes huff out something that sounded like muffled laughter.

As promised, Jakes was standing outside, leaning against the wall as he smoked a cigarette. He was smiling at Morse, as if Morse had made an amusing remark. Jakes’s hair was gleaming with product in the morning sun, and smoke wafted though the air around him. 

“So, you are leaving?” Morse asked, leaning against the wall besides his colleague as Jakes lit a fresh cigarette, trying to get his heart rate down to manageable levels.

“Yes,” Jakes said, pocketing the lighter. “I’ll be off in a few minutes, as soon as Thursday is done talking on the phone with the Inspector who is going to be my supervisor for the next week, or weeks if it comes to that.”

“Hm,” Morse said, trying to stretch this moment. It was no use to expect that any relationship would last forever, such pressure would often put a strain on something that should be enjoyed while it lasted. “It’s a difficult case, I’ve heard. They should appreciate having you there to help them sort it all out, right?”

Behind them, Thursday opened the door and began walking towards his car. He made no move to call Jakes right away, but continued making his way across the parking lot at a leisurely pace. Jakes looked pleased.

“It’s always nice to get out of the city, even if it is because you’re on a work trip,” Jakes said, blowing out smoke before dropping the cigarette and crushing it under his heel. “Feels like being given a clean slate, you know?”

Jakes smiled, a bright and hopeful one that lit up his face and stepped towards Inspector Thursday, already lifting his arm to wave goodbye.

“Yes,” Morse replied, looking straight into Jakes’ eyes. This was it then, the end of the relationship they’d think of with a sort of distant fondness later in life when they’d hear of each other’s adventures. “I’ll see you in the next life, Jakes.”

Jakes’ entire body went still.

“What?” Jakes asked as he stared at Morse, his eyebrows raised. “Morse, this is a work trip that will only last a few weeks at most. They told you that, right?”

“Well-“ Morse began, but Jakes was not going to stop talking if the incredulous look on Jakes’ face was anything to go by.

“I’ll come back,” Jakes said in a low voice, “I’ll even put in a good word for you just in case you ever want to move stations later on in life because Strange was getting on your nerves or something or for safety reasons. I’m not leaving you behind to steer the ship on your own just yet.”

“Jakes!” Thursday called, and their heads turned towards their superior automatically.

“Sir!” Jakes called back, and then nodded at Morse. “See you later, Constable Morse. Finish some of my paperwork for me while I’m gone, yeah?”

“Goodbye, Jakes,” Morse said and watched Jakes’s back as he walked to the car. He remained close to the wall even as the car disappeared from sight. Morse wondered what he’d get in return if he managed to do all of Jakes’s paperwork before Jakes returned and closed his eyes, enjoying the summer breeze.

When he came back inside there was a small fruit basket on his desk.

**Author's Note:**

> Please remember to review!


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